<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>save the last dance for me by c_tristesse</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27910552">save the last dance for me</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/c_tristesse/pseuds/c_tristesse'>c_tristesse</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Percy Jackson and the Olympians &amp; Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Dancing, F/M, apologies to all the real dancers out there, i know the choreography makes no sense lol, percabeth, salsa au, steamy content but no smut</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 18:53:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,270</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27910552</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/c_tristesse/pseuds/c_tristesse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's salsa night at the local bar but Annabeth prefers nursing a drink to dancing with the run-of-the-mill schmucks who usually hit on her. She's pleasantly surprised when an attractive stranger turns out to be the real deal on the dance floor- and finds herself wanting more. </p><p>salsa au</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Jason Grace/Piper McLean, literally just one sentence of jasiper lol</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>76</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>save the last dance for me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>i’m really embarrassed to say this was inspired by ‘take you dancing’ by jason derulo...sad at what my brain chose as inspiration when there is legit good salsa music out there but it is what it is lmao</p><p>shout out to <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imaginmatrix/pseuds/Imaginmatrix">miss imaginmatrix</a> for supporting all my latino percy dreams</p><p>enjoy ;)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s not that Annabeth doesn’t enjoy a fun night out. It’s just that she has a huge project going on at work and <em>very</em> little free time, so she would prefer not to spend those precious hours being hit on at the local dive bar. But there were only so many times she could say no to Piper’s puppy-dog eyes and pleas of “it’s <em>salsa night</em>, Annabeth, you love salsa” before she was guilted into saying yes. Which is why she’s now perched at the bar, nursing her third margarita as she watches her friends sway on the dance floor.</p><p>Jason’s movements are robotic and his eyes are glued to his feet, still counting out the basic steps. Piper, being the loving girlfriend that she is, snickers at his focused expression and makes faces at Annabeth over his shoulder. Piper motions for her to join them but Annabeth shakes her head. She’s done her due diligence to Piper by showing up, making small talk, ordering some cocktails- she’s dead on her feet and planning to drag herself up the block to their apartment as soon as she finishes this drink. At least, until a husky voice draws her attention.</p><p>“You’re too pretty to be sitting on the sidelines all night. How about a dance?”</p><p>Annabeth turns to see a tall figure leaning up against the countertop. She recognizes him as the teacher who led the beginner’s lesson a few hours ago- he hasn’t left the dance floor since then, twirling around a different partner with each new song. His invitation to her is friendly but there’s a heat behind his open smile- she doesn’t miss the way his gaze drags down her body, lingering on the curve of her hips before meeting her eyes appreciatively.</p><p>Annabeth considers the stranger over the rim of her glass. She does admit that he’s attractive in a casual, effortless way: he’s dressed in a simple blue shirt, rolled up to reveal the olive brown skin of his forearms, with a mess of unruly, dark hair and startlingly green eyes. Honestly, he’s just her type- but she’s really not in the mood for overused pick-up lines tonight. She takes a measured sip of her margarita.</p><p>“I’ll pass. It doesn’t look like anyone in here actually knows how to lead- and I know what I’m looking for.” Her tone is cool and dismissive, an effective weapon honed from years of cutting down male egos. She hadn’t climbed to the top of New York’s leading architecture firm without learning to shut down assholes who felt entitled to her time.</p><p>His eyebrows shoot up at that, like he wasn’t expecting to be brushed off, but he doesn’t seem deterred by her rejection- in fact, he looks impressed by her sharp tongue. His grin pulls into a roguish smirk and <em>wow</em>, if he wasn’t Annabeth’s type before he certainly is now.</p><p>The man places a hand on the bar next to her, leaning in just enough that she can appreciate the sea salt scent of his cologne. His green eyes are bright, excited, up for a challenge. She feels the flush rising on her cheeks and blames it on the alcohol instead of his intense gaze. It’s unfair how sinfully attractive this man looks when all Annabeth wants to do is pass out in her bed. But there’s a heady promise in his eyes that has her wondering if she wouldn’t prefer some company.</p><p>“Why don’t you try taking me for a spin? Maybe a closer look will change your mind.”</p><p>His response is cheeky, but for some reason Annabeth finds it cute instead of condescending. Maybe it’s just the buzz of the tequila in her veins or his dangerously sweet smile, but something is hushing the voice in her head that usually tells her not to pursue bad ideas.</p><p>And he looks like the best bad idea she’s ever had.</p><p>“Fine,” she says imperiously, “You get one dance.”</p><p>A triumphant look flashes across his face that makes Annabeth’s pulse quicken. He gallantly extends his hand and she takes it, using his support to hop off the bar stool. His calloused touch brushes against her skin like a live wire.</p><p>“If I’m only getting one dance, I better ask now- what’s your name?” He shoots her a teasing look as he guides them to the center of the dance floor.</p><p>“It’s Annabeth,” she answers, fingertips ghosting above his open palms. She quirks an eyebrow at him, daring- seeing if he’ll take the initiative.</p><p>“Nice to meet you, Annabeth. I’m Percy.”</p><p>As if on cue, a new song starts up, the melody dark and sensual. Percy presses forward and Annabeth steps back to match, both of them falling easily into the rhythm of the music.</p><p>It’s been one thing to watch Percy dance from across the room, but it’s another beast entirely to have all of his charm and confidence directed straight at Annabeth. She feels <em>nervous</em> of all things, which is completely ridiculous considering how many times she’s danced this way with a good-looking partner. But there’s something about Percy that just makes her feel unbalanced, like her guard is down- she’s lucky these steps are muscle memory or she’d be tripping over her own feet.</p><p>Determined to shake him up in the same way, she presses more of her weight into his hands and steps in closer, chest purposefully brushing against his. She feels his grip tighten on her palms and she smirks- leveraging her advantage, she lifts up his arm and pivots on the ball of her foot into an easy double spin. She twists out, pulling his arm across her as she turns back into him. She releases one of Percy’s hands to step back to run her fingers through her hair seductively, hips swinging like she doesn’t have a care in the world.</p><p>She enjoys the gob-smacked look on his face for a few seconds before he snaps back into it, challenging her lead. He moves into her space and puts a warm hand on her hip, other hand already raised above her head to direct her into a spin. She complies but he is relentless, keeping his arm up and stepping around her, forcing her to continue spinning in quick succession to keep up with him. She feels his broad chest behind her for a brief moment, warm and solid- but then he’s gripping her waist and her heart <em>stops</em> as his strong arms lift her straight up. She’s only in the air for a second but it takes all of her training to not squawk in surprise. He sets her down and circles around to the right, leaning Annabeth into the crook of his elbow and signaling her for a side sequence. She follows his lead without losing a single beat.</p><p>The music lulls for a moment and he turns to her, looking like he’s won the lottery. “Where’d you learn to dance like this?” he asks breathlessly.</p><p>“I did ballroom dancing in college,” she responds, her face pink from exertion (and definitely <em>not</em> butterflies). Hopefully it’s not too obvious in the dim light of the bar. “Competitively, of course.”</p><p>He grins at her bossy tone. “Of course.”</p><p>“And you? Where’d you learn to dance?” She lets go of his hand to unwind herself from his side but Percy just pulls her in closer, like he’s unwilling to let her out of his reach for even a moment. The heat of his palm burns through the thin fabric of her dress and for a desperate second she wonders what it would feel like on her bare skin.</p><p>“My mom taught me,” Percy replies, expression soft. “My grandpa was a musician in Cuba, we always played his tapes at home. She always wanted to bring more of his culture to Manhattan,” he finishes wistfully.</p><p>“Pretty cute, turning your mom’s dream into a full-time job.” Annabeth’s voice is light, not betraying the emotion that rushes through her at hearing the clear adoration in his voice.</p><p>“Nah, this is just a fun side gig.” He slides behind her, motioning for another spin. “It doesn’t pay much but,” he dips down to murmur in her ear, “it does come with the occasional perk.”</p><p>The music picks up after that, too fast for anymore conversation. Not that Annabeth can formulate a coherent response anyways. As if coming to an unspoken agreement, they both stop fighting for control and just let go- Annabeth loses herself to the flow of the song and the excitement of dancing with a partner who can actually keep up with her. It’s been a long time since Annabeth has felt this kind of chemistry with anyone and it’s <em>exhilarating</em>.</p><p>Percy is spontaneous and steady and graceful and goofy all at the same time. She feels perfectly in sync with him, even when he surprises her with a sudden twist or sidestep. He can read her body like an open book, predicting exactly how she wants to move in response to the music- and she reads him right back, anticipating when he wants to spin and switch steps. Their hands find each other again and again, drawn back together like magnets even when they’re executing sequences too quickly to make eye contact.</p><p>The tension between them builds into something thick and sultry, every touch igniting a spark. At some point, Percy’s hands migrated to her waist and stayed there- they’re so close together now that their thighs touch with every step, the curve of her ass brushing his hips with each spin. The music builds to a crescendo and Annabeth knows exactly what Percy wants from the look in his eyes. He stretches his arm out and she extends with him before spinning back into his arms. He immediately drops her into a dip so low that her hair almost reaches the floor. She can feel Percy’s strong arms bracketing her shoulders, supporting all of her weight as he leans over her. Their chests are heaving and his face is so close and she can’t stop staring at his <em>lips</em>-</p><p>The small crowd breaks into applause, startling both of them- Annabeth had forgotten anyone else was even there. She can hear Piper’s wolf-whistle above the clamor and feels herself flush with embarrassment. Percy pulls her up to standing without breaking eye contact, the delicious tension still lingering between them. The music transitions into something slow and romantic but Annabeth’s pulse is racing and she can’t bear to lose this electric feeling just yet. She grabs Percy’s hand and pulls him away from the dance floor, glancing over her shoulder to see how he feels about this change of pace. Her heart beats wildly at the expression on his face- he looks like he would follow her anywhere, even if she was dragging him to the ends of the earth, and that fills her with <em>feelings</em> that she immediately puts away to think about later, too aroused to deal with any of that right now.</p><p>They reach the secluded corner that was Annabeth’s destination and she pulls Percy on top of her, her back against the wall. She tangles her hands in his hair and brings his face towards hers, kissing him like the world’s on fire. He responds eagerly, one hand squeezing at her waist and the other coming up cupping her jaw- his grip is tender but his lips are demanding, possessive. Annabeth melts into the heat of his mouth, matching his bruising intensity as easily as she matched tempo on the dance floor. He presses his body into hers, crowding her against the wall, his hips aligned with hers and <em>fuck</em>, she can feel the hardness behind his zipper pressing into her thigh-</p><p>She can’t help the small gasp that falls from her lips as Percy moves his mouth down to her neck, sucking sharply at her pulse point until he can see the red mark against her tanned skin. Her head tips back against the wall with a small <em>thunk</em> and she can feel Percy’s smirk against the curve of her throat before he drags his lips back up to whisper in her ear.</p><p>“So how’d I do? Think I’m good enough to lead?”</p><p>He pulls away to face her, resting his forehead against hers and propping his elbow up against the wall above her head. His tone may be smug but his gaze is full of worship- pupils blown wide, expression bewildered, like he can’t believe he gets to have her like this. It makes Annabeth giddy to see how plainly he <em>wants</em> her- she feels her stomach clench with anticipation at the thought of how that gaze would look in between her sheets, his head between her legs.</p><p>“I think I can still show you a few moves,” she murmurs against his lips, “if you’d like to come back to my place?” She gives him a coy smile, looking up at him through her eyelashes. He lets out a small groan at the invitation before attacking her lips again, hands ghosting over her breasts before trailing down to grip her hip bones, hard. She bites gently at his bottom lip and he hums in satisfaction before licking his way into her mouth. His tongue traces along the roof of her mouth and her knees go <em>weak</em>, she's absurdly turned on- she pulls away for a quick breath and he chuckles, low and dark. He kisses her cheek and his lips linger there, his breath a warm promise against her skin.</p><p>“As long as you save me another dance next time.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thanks for reading! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>